1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a non-metallic coupler carrier used in a coupler carrier arrangement for railroad cars, and more particularly, to the spring or resiliently supported type coupler carrier for type F couplers that are commonly associated with the familiar open centered striker castings through which the coupler shank extends for anchoring to the car sill. This invention is essentially an improved configuration of a non-metallic railroad coupler carrier and wear plate having improved geometry enhancing both operational characteristics including increased loss prevention.
2. Description of Related Art
Type F coupler carriers were originally constructed from metal materials and included within a coupler carrier arrangement that is commonly employed in Association of American Railroads (AAR) standard F type interlocking coupler applications, an illustration of which is shown at page 316 of the 1984 Edition of Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia published by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation. Resiliently supported coupler carrier arrangements of this type are commonly employed in cars designed for use in the so-called unit trains. This arrangement is further described within the following references. The disclosures in these patents is incorporated by reference in the instant application as if fully set forth herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,128 ('128 patent), which issued to Spencer, discloses a Wear Surface Arrangement for Coupler Carrier Assemblies. The '128 patent teaches a coupler carrier assembly for an F type railroad car coupler utilizing a housing having large area wear plates located and secured by spaced lugs on the front and back walls of the housing. A pair of holes in each of the walls coincident with the plates is provided to facilitate welding of the plates to the walls and the housing back wall is straight to enable the use of a single large area flat wear plate on the back wall, which is interchangeably useable on the front wall. The wear surface arrangement for a coupler carrier assembly thus provides improved wear surfaces that are interchangeable for the carrier housing when using type F metallic coupler carriers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,541 ('541 patent), which issued to Chierici, discloses a Coupler Carrier Arrangement for Railroad Cars. The '541 patent teaches a coupler carrier arrangement for railroad cars, in which the car center sill ends are equipped with a striker casting through which the car coupler shank extends for connection to the car center sill, with the striker casting having the familiar cage, in which the coupler carrier is mounted, including an upwardly opening socket on the underside of the casting defining a coupler carrier chamber, in which the coupler carrier itself comprises a body formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer of self-lubricating characteristics that replaces both the conventional coupler carrier and the carrier iron, and is shaped to define a horizontally disposed upwardly facing load support surface on which the coupler shank rests, and oppositely facing forward and rearward side walls defining vertically disposed slide surfaces formed for close fitting relation to the coupler carrier chamber inner and outer walls. The coupler carrier load support and side slide surfaces are of integral one piece construction, and are characterized by effecting resurfacing of the coupler shank and striker casting surfaces they engage to make such surfaces effectively resistant against wear. The coupler carrier arrangement for railroad cars of the '541 patent thus uses a non-metallic type F coupler carrier, and teaches certain fundamental problems when using metallic coupler carriers and the advantages to using a fully non-metallic type F coupler carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,618 ('618 patent), which issued to Kulieke, Jr., discloses a Spring Biased Rotary Railway Car Coupler Carrier. The '618 patent teaches a rotary railroad car coupler assembly having a unique carrier which is designed for limited angling or tilting in the vertically elongated chamber of the striker, as the coupler rotates. The projecting lugs of the carrier interlockingly engage the stops in the chamber of the striker, and have sloping sides which diverge from the sidewalls of the chamber in a direction away from the coupler, rather than being parallel to the sidewalls as are the sides of the lugs of AAR Standard carriers. This improvement eliminates chattering that is normally occasioned when AAR Standard carriers are used in connection with a rotary railroad car coupler assembly and helps to prevent undue stress of the striker caused when the carrier becomes momentarily frozen or bound up in the striker as the coupler rotates. The '618 patent further teaches certain fundamental problems when using type F metallic coupler carriers and further presents the desire and advantage of using a non-metallic type F coupler carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,639 ('639 patent), which issued to Kaim, discloses a Railway Coupler Carrier Retention System. The '639 patent teaches a railway coupler carrier retention system using hardened metallic sloped carrier lugs with related retainer plates to provide longitudinal and lateral movement restraint. The '639 patent further teaches the scope of certain fundamental wear problems when using type F metallic coupler carriers and further presents the desire and advantage of using a non-metallic type F coupler carrier. The '639 patent further illustrates a form of the geometric relief between the lugs and the sidewalls of the metallic carrier but does not disclose this as improvement. This patent incorporates the use of a relief in a non-metallic coupler carrier and therefore is novel in combined nature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,826 ('826 patent), which issued to Elliott et al., discloses a Striker Carrier having an Adjustable Wear Plate for a Railway Coupler(s). The '826 patent teaches a striker carrier assembly for a railway coupler constructed to engage and support the shank of the coupler at an adjustably established elevation. For an E-type coupler, the striker carrier assembly includes a spacer retained on the striker carrier by an overlying wear plate which includes downwardly extending lugs on opposite sides of the wear plate. For an F-type coupler, the striker carrier includes a striker casting supported by springs against a stop in a carrier basket. A spacer is held on top of the striker casting by a wear plate through the use of prongs which extend downwardly from the plate through openings in both the spacer and striker casting. The wear surface arrangement for a metallic coupler carrier provides an overlying metallic wear plate with improved wear surfaces that are interchangeable for the type F metallic coupler carrier. The '826 patent further teaches certain fundamental problems when using type F metallic coupler carriers.
The following publications provide certain useful information relating to non-metallic type F carrier lug construction: Mar. 21, 2001 Flyer Edition of Zeftuf® Flexible Coupler Carriers for “F” Type Draft Sills published by Zeftec Incorporated, Montgomery, Ill. and publication HOL970057-1M-498 Flyer Edition of Hollube® Product Specification for Model: WE-4004 Coupler Carrier for Rotary Dump Coal Cars published by Holland Company, Crete, Ill. both disclose marketing of non-metallic type F coupler carriers. It will be seen from an inspection of the noted publications that the same recite the fact that all prior art non-metallic type F coupler carriers exhibit relatively sharp edges adjacent to and on the carrier lugs along with a substantially planar bottom.
It will be seen that the forgoing prior art teaches certain parameters for type F coupler carriers and use various specific solutions to meet the needs taught. The instant invention departs from the prior art by utilizing the non-metallic material for improved wear resistance and improving the geometry of a non-metallic type F coupler carrier to enhance the limited functionality in its use for type F coupler carrier arrangements. The instant invention utilizes simple, yet offers a type F coupler carrier with advantages that will be obvious or become apparent from a consideration of the following descriptions.